


first meeting

by Zelda_Moore



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-06-14 15:40:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15392007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zelda_Moore/pseuds/Zelda_Moore
Summary: When they first met, they’d known each other, yet they didn’t.





	first meeting

**Author's Note:**

> // written for the first day of Hylink Week 2018

Link’d known Her as the just and glorious white goddess, the only one who could ever be trusted with the sacred golden relic, the one who could do no wrong. But he couldn’t have known that beyond that kind image Hylia’s kept for eternities, there was a whole new person, one who secretly wished to be closer to humans than she could ever be.

She’s known him as a fire, ever burning with determination, hues of his soul always shifting from white to orange, and finally red– and then again… She couldn’t have predicted how radiant and defiant that fire could grow under the right circumstances. …and how consuming.

Hylia’s been watching over that boy for a very, very long time, for she knew she couldn’t complete the most important task ever assigned alone. Was she holding out for a true hero? Perhaps, but what mattered was that she needed assistance. And the second his bright soul was released into the world was the moment she knew she needed to search no more. It was as if his very being was meant to deflect any darkness that threatened him.

Now the only thing left was directing that blaze in the right direction by defining darkness correctly. And that meant that from now on, darkness was everything She was not.

Hasn’t it always been this way? Perhaps it hasn’t, but she’d rather not dwell on it now, or ever. After all, everything that has ever existed was simple darkness once, before the Three blessed the nothingness. For now, the only thing Hylia wanted to create was light. And of light Link is — and always will be, or she isn’t divine.

That promise would cost her — them both — oh so much.

But the punishment would come and scorch the entire land only years later — the amount of time that feels outstandingly long, ever stretching on, for humans, yet is as quick as a passing blink of a goddess’ eyes. And she was willing herself to keep them open, for the sake of watching Link grow and flourish, his soul and personality rich as a garden.

So when they _really_ first met, the goddess was the only one who knew it was a meeting, for there was no one who could see her, and the only one who should have was so young that he lacked the means — or you could say, a proper consciousness — to assess it.

Therefore, it did not count in her eyes. Especially since that ‘meeting’ lasted a lifetime, during which she never took her divine sight off of Link once, always looking out for him and being the one force needed to repent the true depths of evil that were out for his purity, sometimes wishing to draw blood. And Hylia knew that if that ever happened, it’d be both a beautiful and a painful sight. One she could barely handle imagining, much less seeing.

However, that was what fate had in store, for when they first met — when _he_ first met her — they didn’t know just how brutal their separation would be. And later on, she wished she’d never known the harshness of it all.

But that was later, and now, in this moment, a completely different story unfolds. A tale of learning just what _getting to know someone_ really means… and how it feels to love that someone more than ever after finding true knowledge.

“It’s time for you to know, Link, that sometimes it’s best to ignore others’ opinions and believe in yourself and what you feel is undeniably right.”

He’d grown used to that gentle, flowing voice years ago — in fact, he never felt unaccustomed to it, as if it’s been there all his life, and perhaps longer than that, longer than anyone else on this Earth– oh, but that sounded absurd even to his own ears, there’s no way that could be the truth, right? …but no matter what odd thoughts plagued Link in regards to this mysterious voice, he knew he could trust it. Trust it even more than he would his father — and that was a person who was known to never let anyone, or even anything down, a man whose every step on the journey that was his life was taken to improve the world around him.

Link wasn’t the only one who knew about this enigmatic entity in his mind, but only he believed it was real. For all those years, countless people had thought it was their duty to dissuade Link out of it, make something within him snap and return to reality, for surely that voice was just a dreadful product of his restless soul, borne out of many sleepless nights, a culmination of his constant wish to do _something_ and avoid staying still.

But he knew that wasn’t true, since that wish wasn’t really constant, and there were days when even he needed to recharge… and on those days, the voice grew only louder. Bolder, even, as if it was its duty to express concern for him. He never minded it — sometimes it felt like the closest thing to his late mother’s embrace he’ll ever get — but he knew he couldn’t talk about it with anyone else, since that was a sure-fire way to get people even closer to thinking he’s reached the edge of sanity.

Yet despite it all, deep inside he knew the validity of his experience. And the voice only seemed to share that idea with him when it continued its line of thought after a still pause.

“You listened to everyone and took their words to heart, and, fortunately, that included me as well.

You could have easily abandoned me, dismissed me for a hallucination haunting you at night, or worse, you could have never believed that my care and concern were genuine. And, knowing how you had been raised, I’d never blame you for that…” Yes, Link’s soul was burning since the very start, but the world around him never thought it was enough, forcing him to constantly temper and hone himself to simply retain his psyche. And yet he never lost sight of himself, and that’s why Hylia knew she made the right choice. “But I know how much talking about that hurts. I know, for my heart aches for it more than anything else. Please believe me when I say that, for I truly feel for you more than is imaginable.

All I ever wanted was to keep you safe, and I’m glad you let me. Revealing my true identity after all this time is the least I can do for you, Link, so listen.” He was so captivated he could do nothing else.

And it wasn’t like he wanted to, so the universe went on.

“I am divinity clad in white.

I am the guardian of the sacred power.” She was also a very fallible being who was extremely selective and prone to getting caught up in her feelings, it seemed. And as much as she wanted to say that, she sensed that it would probably ruin the moment. And more importantly, destroy his gentle perception of her forever.

“I am the one you’ve reached out to all your life, and for that I shall reward you.”

And then the universe stopped. Everything all around them froze into a standstill as he finally dared to utter her name.

“Are you… Hylia?”

So his prayers had a recipient after all.

And when she noticed how Link didn’t even think of his reward, she felt even more confident in her choice. Yes, she needed no one else by her side. As she’d thought, he had been the only being deserving of Her.

“What else can I say? And… who else can I be?” He definitely won’t go telling this story to anyone. None of this sounded believable at all, yet it was real and tangible and here–

He was in the presence of a goddess, and he needed to accept it and act accordingly. But just what did that mean?

_Well, for starters, I should probably apologise for not addressing her properly_ , Link thought. He understood that there was no way for him to know what was really happening beforehand, but he felt like he couldn’t avoid bringing it up. She has never been just a voice or just a being — Hylia was, and hopefully still will be, an important guide through his life. Someone he could tell absolutely everything to… but now he needed to do so with proper respect.

“Y-your Grace…” He stammered, disbelief still seeping through him. “I need to apologise, for the way I’ve treated you before had been far too improper…” Then again, did Link really have another name for her than 'a voice’ before? How could he even?.. oh, this is absolutely impossible, this can’t be happening. He knew he needed to pull himself together and stop gaping like a fool…

Hylia’s laugh felt surreal and ethereal, much like this entire situation.

“You have been one of the most polite beings I’ve had the chance to listen to throughout the centuries! And trust me, I’ve been called some truly awful, horrible names many times in the past…” It had been done by those who opposed her, who did not believe she could handle any responsibility, who despised the light and wanted to stay hidden, never revealing the truth of their sins and wrongdoings. Well, everyone has to choose a path in their life, and those beings chose theirs. It was that simple, and it was all in the past now, as most of her people revered her fervently… but none so much as Link.

“Well, I’ll have you know, your Grace, that you deserve none of them.” Bless his pure, ignited soul. Whether she did or not was another question entirely… one she’d asked herself too many times and yet still had no answer for. Hylia wouldn’t be surprised if it would have taken her a lifetime to finally find the answer… if it’s possible to judge an immortal being’s lifespan.

Little did she know, it was. Under very, very specific and dire circumstances. But they still had their time before discovering it all, and so she pushed the lamenting thoughts out of her mind.

“I hope that you’ll show me the truth of your words one day.”

“If you still don’t believe me, then I promise I will.” Hylia was the anchor Link desperately held on to throughout the bad days and weeks, but he knew she never left him and was still there when he was at his happiest. And these cherished moments were simply enhanced and made that much more precious by her presence.

She didn’t know how irreplaceable she was, and he made it his goal to open her eyes. Her doubts and self-deprecation would only hinder her on the long road towards the future purity of their land, and he knew it from experience.

The silence stretched out for just a little too long, as the goddess contemplated his words. Finally she decided it was time to move on and get back to the other reason for this strange, and yet perfectly normal, encounter.

“You should know the real reason I’ve come to you. And not only that, but you should know me as I am as well.” A sudden flash pierced his vision, and a moment later She appeared before him, vivid and luminous like moonlight. Although there was no wind, her pale long hair seemed to float in the air, spreading all around her and lighting up the world even further. Her golden eyes looked at everything knowingly, and it felt as if they were stars — just as bright and just as old.

To Link, she seemed… flawless, and absolutely gorgeous. So much so, that he couldn’t find the strength in himself to speak… She sensed his feelings, and something deep inside her stirred in exultation. But she had never forgotten about the many scars — those that would never go away, no matter how much of her magic she’d spend — hidden under her long, freely flowing, pristine white dress.

The goddess couldn’t help but wonder if Link would love those parts of her as well… but right now she could simply keep them out of their sight and avoid dealing with the issue entirely, as she forced a scarlet piece of cloth to appear in her hands.

“This is a piece of my divinity, enchanted so it would always protect the wearer. And before you try to decline, please remember that it is first and foremost a gift and I will not be taking it back.” …how did she know he was going to refuse to take it? But Link thought it didn’t matter now, as his hands traced the rough, yet comforting cape. Something about it felt right and perfect, and a naive and young part of him wanted to never part with what he treated now as a relic.

Well, it wasn’t like anyone was taking it away from him now, was it? He allowed himself to indulge in the satisfaction of the red cape’s rush against his skin, folding it all around his body. And then he let himself wonder if he imagined the cloth becoming hard as metal around the tougher bends for a split second… That must have been the protection spell She mentioned. Of course, why would she lie?

“You have my eternal gratitude, your Grace. But I must ask a question… why me?”

This time Hylia didn’t hesitate with her reply. “So many reasons.

You are bright, courageous, and unique. I know you are ready to do whatever people ask of you for the sake of your land, and that makes you the perfect person to assist me. You _will_ fight and bleed for this land and its balance without a shadow of a doubt.” He would, for it felt right and just. Just like her. So Link only nodded, not at all offended. “And since I know how harsh and yet fascinating your journey will be, I believe I ought to do something in return for your service… yes, before we even take the first step.”

He took a breath, assessing his situation. Who was he to judge a deity’s opinion? She must have weighed every option carefully before making her choice, and Link could do nothing but go along with it. Besides, Hylia seemed to be quite eager to offer all that she can to protect and assist him, and… he found himself revering her presence so much that he felt willing to go to the fiery depths of the earth if it meant staying by her side. So really, the choice felt quite obvious.

“Very well. I will accept your gift and take pride in being by your side whenever you need me, your Grace.” A spark of satisfaction burned in the goddess’ gaze as she dissolved into the sky, having done what was needed at the moment.

“You have no idea how much your agreement means to me, Link. Thank you, and farewell… my hero.”

* * *

So that was how they unveiled themselves to one another, and their first meeting would also be their last, for death would end up being the only thing to ever separate them.


End file.
